DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN LEARNING SCIENCES (Ph.D. LEARNING SCIENCES)
In 2022, The Faculty of Learning Sciences and Education (LSEd) launched the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Program in Learning Sciences. Our mission coincides with Thammasat University's vision to create leadership through world-class education and research. This academic and research excellence is what makes Thammasat University a rich environment to nurture well-versed scholars and practitioners who will work for the benefit of society. Our Ph.D. graduates will not only have theoretical knowledge but their academic skillset will also equip them to understand social phenomena and propose tangible solutions.
Multidisciplinarity is one of the key pedagogical features of our curriculum that drives positive changes in human learning. Postgraduate programs are typically designed to foster researchers with highly specific expertise. However, academics operating with fragmented bodies of knowledge might not be well-placed to solve complex, real-life problems. Without the ability to see connections between issues pertaining to the problems, it is challenging to bring forward viable solutions, particularly in today’s world where globalization results in rapid and profound social changes. Therefore, the Doctor of Philosophy program in Learning Sciences aims to demonstrate the importance of a holistic approach to education and learning through multiple lenses, provided by our multidisciplinary faculty members with diverse areas of expertise.
Students will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills through coursework on human learning, learning innovation, research and data analysis, as well as learning facilitation and transformation. In addition, students will gain real-life research experiences by actively participating in our research projects in collaboration with public and private sector partners in Thailand and abroad. These hands-on experiences will help to prepare students for their dissertation work and contribute to the program being a space for knowledge sharing and mutual growth.
The Key Competencies
The program aims to foster change agents equipped with four core competencies: P A C E
PRACTICE | The ability to apply theories in creating new knowledge Students will show broad understanding of learning sciences through various disciplines and approaches (e.g., sociology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, biology, and neuroscience) that explain the dynamics of human learning through mind, body, and behavior, as well as learning in social contexts. They will be able to apply these various approaches in comprehensively explaining phenomena related to human learning. By doing so, they will be able to find practical methods to support human learning or to mitigate learners’ individual limitations. |
ANALYZE | The ability to analyze and use data for decision making Students will be able to apply research methods and tools to efficiently examine, interpret and analyze qualitative and/or quantitative data related to human learning. They will utilize their critical thinking skills in identifying reliable and valid information; providing recommendations; asking questions and suggesting solutions based on their theoretical insights. |
CREATE | The ability to create innovations that promote human learning Students will see the connections between human learning processes and ways of designing effective learning innovations. They will also have the skills to develop and evaluate the potential of human learning innovations to efficiently meet the demands of diverse learners and contexts. By applying the multidisciplinary approach on human learning, students will be able to design learning innovations that foster creative learning, such as electronic media, board games, learning processes, or exhibitions. |
EMPOWER | The ability to design and initiate learning transformation Students will have an in-depth understanding of phenomena that affect human learning. They will be able to identify factors influencing human learning as well as structures, mechanisms, and beliefs maintaining such phenomena. Students can then apply this understanding to mobilize change on individual and social levels. They will develop self-awareness, empathy for people of different backgrounds, and use this awareness to create transformational learning processes, innovations, and research. |
With P A C E, or the four key competencies of the Doctor of Philosophy Program in Learning Sciences, graduates of the program will be able to pursue careers related to education and human learning. For examples, educators, researchers, academics, or lecturers in the field of human learning; executives of educational institutions; social entrepreneurs; facilitators; or educational and learning innovators.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees and other expenses are determined on the basis of Thammasat University’s regulations on graduate-level special programs.